Haldane
A Home for Everyone
Strong schools are built through thoughtful attention to the issues that matter most to students, families, and staff. At Haldane, that means fostering a sense of community and inclusion where everyone feels they belong, ensuring safety and security while maintaining a supportive learning environment, and addressing practical needs like transportation that impact daily life for families. It also means maintaining high academic standards, approaching capital projects with transparency and fiscal responsibility, and cultivating an institutional environment where educators feel supported and students can thrive. I approach each of these areas with a commitment to listening carefully, weighing diverse perspectives, and working collaboratively to make decisions that reflect both our shared values and the needs of our entire community.
Thriving Students
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Supported Staff
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Engaged Community
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Thriving Students - Supported Staff - Engaged Community -
The Issues
Community & Inclusion
Our schools are strongest when every student, family, and staff member feels a true sense of belonging. Last year’s pause of the EDI policy was a difficult moment for many in our community and highlighted how complex and, at times, contentious these issues can become. Since then, the district has taken important steps, including retaining new legal counsel, to help navigate this evolving landscape thoughtfully and responsibly. I believe we can uphold our core values of inclusion and respect while also responding carefully to broader governmental pressures. Decisions about how we support our students and define our community should remain grounded in local voices, guided by what is best for Haldane, and shaped through open, respectful dialogue.
Safety & Security
The safety of our students and staff must always be a top priority, and the recent district report makes clear that there are important areas that need attention. As outlined in the capital project materials, this includes improving secure building entry points, addressing traffic flow to better separate pedestrians, buses, and cars, upgrading communication systems, and repairing aging infrastructure that poses potential safety risks . These are not abstract concerns - they directly impact the day-to-day safety and functioning of our schools. I believe we must take a proactive, transparent approach to addressing these issues, ensuring that safety investments are thoughtful, well-planned, and fiscally responsible. Families and staff deserve to feel confident that our schools are not only nurturing environments, but also physically secure and well-maintained.
Learn more about the Haldane District-Wide Safety & Emergency Management Plan here.
Academics
Haldane has a strong academic foundation, and I’m encouraged by several recent investments that reflect a commitment to both rigor and innovation. The introduction of the UFLI phonics curriculum in the elementary school is an important step in strengthening early literacy and ensuring all students build essential reading skills. The addition of a dedicated STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) teacher, the development of a STEAM Innovation Lab, and a PK-12 STEAM curriculum create exciting opportunities for hands-on, interdisciplinary learning that will prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
We also now have access to more student data to track progress and identify where support is needed. These are valuable tools that must be used thoughtfully. Data should inform, not define, our understanding of students, and should always be paired with professional judgment and a whole-child perspective.
Transportation
Transportation is an area where thoughtful planning, safety, and fiscal responsibility must come together. The district’s recent transportation study highlights opportunities to improve efficiency - many buses are currently running well below capacity, and better ridership tracking could allow routes to be combined, reducing costs and ride times . At the same time, there are important safety considerations around traffic flow, pedestrian access, and clear policies for walking distances and bus eligibility. We also need to navigate New York State’s mandate to transition to electric buses, which will have significant financial and operational implications for our district. I believe we need a balanced, transparent approach—one that prioritizes student safety and reliability for families, while carefully managing costs and advocating for realistic implementation of state requirements.
Learn more about the 2025 Transportation Study here.
Institutional Environment
A strong institutional environment is one where both students and staff feel a genuine sense of belonging, connection, and support. Recent discussions from the district’s wellness committee highlight the importance of this work - from efforts to develop tools that measure student connectedness, to increasing communication around accessing support, to addressing challenges like relational aggression and the impact of digital engagement on student relationships.
These are real issues that shape how students experience school and how staff are able to support them. I believe we must continue to invest in building a culture where students feel known and valued, where staff feel supported in their work, and where relationships are at the center of learning. This means being proactive, listening closely to both students and educators, and creating systems that strengthen connection, accountability, and care across the entire school community.
Learn more about the recent Wellness Committee report here.
Capital Project
The capital project reflects a thoughtful effort to address some of the most pressing needs in our schools - improving safety, modernizing learning spaces, and creating an environment that better supports both students and staff. As outlined in the district materials, this includes adding secure entry vestibules, upgrading infrastructure, and redesigning traffic flow to enhance campus safety, while also investing in new classrooms to move students out of the outdated Mabel Merritt building, which was never designed for modern instruction. The project also prioritizes spaces that support how students learn today, including STEAM labs, a multi-use student center, and centralized support suites for counseling and wellness services. I believe it is critical that we approach this project with transparency and careful fiscal planning, ensuring that investments are aligned with community priorities and truly enhance both the educational experience and the long-term sustainability of our schools.
“School boards are the vital organ for education decision-making and represent our best opportunity to improve public education in America.”
Scott R. Levy
Why School Boards Matter: Reclaiming the Heart of American Education and Democracy